Class Accuses Kaiser of Substandard Care

By Karina Brown

5-26-2009 16:44:00

LOS ANGELES (CN) - A couple filed a class action wrongful death lawsuit against Kaiser Permanente, claiming their infant son died because Kaiser's policies have institutionalized substandard care. Erica Munoz and Gustavo Lopez say Charles Angel Lopez died and Erica Munoz suffered "profound injury" because, to save money, Kaiser refuses to hire enough doctors and has nurse practitioners and physicians' assistants do the work the should be done by doctors. Munoz says Kaiser never sent a doctor to help her until the day her son died.
Munoz also claims Kaiser scrimped by denying her request for tests that could have saved her son's life - another practice the couple says Kaiser regularly implements. Kaiser allegedly told Munoz and Lopez that technological procedures were unnecessary and "destructive to 'nature doing its course.'" The couple claim Kaiser's actions are part of "a long-standing institutional practice by which it brazenly ignores, disregards and flaunts California law." And they claim Kaiser sent them "fraudulent and completely overblown" bills, charging them for services they never received. The couple is represented in Superior Court by Steven Zelig with Brentwood Legal Services.